Produced by Kevin Handy, Dave Maddock, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team WILD KITTY. BY L. T. MEADE CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Bessie, Alice, Gwin, and Elma CHAPTER II. The Blarney Stone CHAPTER III. Is that the Girl? CHAPTER IV. Tiffs all Round CHAPTER V. Incorrigible Kitty CHAPTER VI. The Tug-of-War CHAPTER VII. Elma CHAPTER VIII. The Little House in Constantine Road CHAPTER IX. The Head Mistress and the Cabbage-Rose CHAPTER X. Paddy Wheel-About CHAPTER XI. In Carrie's Bedroom CHAPTER XII. The "Spotted Leopard" CHAPTER XIII. Coventry CHAPTER XIV. The Lost Packet CHAPTER XV. Gwin Harley's Scheme CHAPTER XVI. Paddy Wheel-About's Old Coat CHAPTER XVII. "We Are Both in the Same Boat" CHAPTER XVIII. "I Cannot Help You" CHAPTER XIX. Kitty Tells the Truth CHAPTER XX. An Eye-Opener CHAPTER XXI. The Lady from Buckinghamshire CHAPTER XXII. Stunned and Cold CHAPTER XXIII. Stars and Moon, and God Behind CHAPTER XXIV. Sunshine Again CHAPTER XXV. Kitty "Go-Bragh" (Forever) CHAPTER I. BESSIE, ALICE, GWIN, ELMA. Bessie! Bessie! "Yes, mother," replied Bessie Challoner. "You'll be late for school, child, if you are not quick." "Bessie!" shouted her father at the top of his voice from below stairs. "Bessie; late as usual." "I am really going, father; I am just ready," was the eager reply. Bessie caught up her sailor hat, shoved it carelessly over her mass of thick hair, and searched frantically round her untidy bedroom for the string bag which contained her schoolbooks. "Oh, Bessie, you'll get into a scrape," said Judy, one of her younger sisters, dancing into the room. "Why, you are late. I hear the schoolbell ringing; it will stop in a moment." "Don't worry me, Judy," cried Bessie. "Do you know where my bag is?" Judy ran into the middle of the room, turned round, and began to laugh ecstatically. "Do you know where it is, you little good-for-nothing? Have you put it hiding?" "Yes, yes, yes," screamed the child, jumping up and down in her joy. "Then, if you don't give it to me at once, I'll--" But Judy had dodged her and was out of the room. Up to the attic flew the child, and after her dashed Bessie. The bag was found in the corner of the linen-cupboard. Bessie aimed a frenzied blow at Judy, who once again dodged her, then the schoolgirl ran downstairs and was out of the house. "Bessie, for shame!" said her brother, who was standing smoking his cigarette in a very lazy manner in the garden. "Why, you'll never get full marks." "Don't," said Bessie. "I feel quite hunted between you all."